Furry Little Problems
by ScarletWolfsbane
Summary: "Well, you'd know all about the madness within, wouldn't you, Audrey?" At the age of eight, Audrey Tonks is bitten by a werewolf. Her best friend, Electra Longbottom, hides her own problems. What does the future hold for them?


_SilverWolfsbane (author) ridikkuluslysirius (editor)_

**9****th**** of March 2017**

**Mid-Morning**

**Banchory, Abredeenshire **

"I'm dreaming," Audrey muttered. She looked back toward Electra as the seamstress pinned her dress.

Electra giggled. She was Audrey's best friend since their first year at Hogwarts. They were so similar, but so different at the same time. Audrey was always the driven, success-obsessed worrier. Electra was bubbly, far more extraverted, and tended to live more in the moment.

"You do realize," Electra stated. "That you have been repeating yourself for the past week."

Audrey sighed. "You know how I am."

"The worrier?" Electra suggested, raising an eyebrow. She was always one to use a sarcastic tone.

"I do worry," Audrey began, "but then when things actually go our way, I fear that they are not even real...or not going to last."

"It's real Audrey," Electra echoed. "You know it is, and you are now one of the most famous witches in Britain."

Audrey did not respond right away. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. The black dress was classy, slimming, and it made her feel important. She ran a palm against her cheek and paused over the most prevalent scar.

"Some of it just seems impossible." She did not turn back to Electra, but continued to look at her own complexion, a hand still covering the everlasting mark.

**6****th**** of August 1990**

**Early Afternoon**

**The Longbottom Residence**

"And how is Neville?" Muriel asked. Her raspy voice was always a strain on the ears.

"The same," Augusta stated. "Well-behaved, but he's not Frank, you know." She sat back in the large rocking chair and folded her arms.

"Now Electra," Augusta added. "She has potential, more of a troublemaker, but she has the talent and—"

"Do you think it is fair to judge Neville at such a young age?" Muriel interjected. She always interrupted people, but Augusta had learned to deal with that fact.

"Neville is not Frank," Augusta urged. "I would bet two-hundred galleons on it, Muriel. Electra is the one to watch for, mark my words."

Electra was upside-down outside, swinging from a tree branch as Neville sat and observed.

"Swing with me, Neville," she chirped. The eight-year-old had a cheeky grin on her face, and it seemed she possessed all the charisma that her brother just didn't have.

"Gram will ground you if she sees," Neville said. Electra just giggled.

"Join me then!" she answered, swinging happily back and fourth. "If she grounds both of us, we can just play with each other!"

"You just want me to fall," Neville stated. "You know I will." He stood up and started to gather his books.

Electra smiled. "I just want you to keep trying."

"Right…" Neville mumbled.

"I mean it!" she exclaimed. "There will come a day when you won't be the one falling…and I want to be there to see it!"

Neville couldn't help but smile a bit. Electra was the one who always believed in him.

**Late Evening**

**The Tonks Residence**

Ted and Andromeda had gone away for the weekend, leaving Nymphadora in charge of Audrey.

Tonks was a responsible older sister, for the most part. The siblings had spent time together all weekend, and she even took Audrey to her fiddle lesson, but it was the last night of freedom, and Tonks had to take advantage of it.

She put Audrey to bed a bit earlier than usual and placed a silencing charm on her sister's door. Within just a few minutes, the people began to arrive. There had to be at least fifty.

Tonks had a very extraverted and bubbly personality, which was the exact opposite of her sister. She had a massive amount of friends, not just in her year nor her house, but practically everyone in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.

Teenage witches and wizards had invaded, and the loud mob clashed with the usual mood of the house. It was a large, countryside home, with the vast elegance that represented Andromeda's inheritance, but as the party escalated, the home became treated like an Irish pub.

It was about midnight when Audrey woke up, and her stomach growled with hunger. Tonks let her sister have ice cream for dinner, which did not suffice Audrey's appetite for more than a few hours.

Since she could not hear a sound from her room, Audrey assumed that Tonks was asleep. She could probably tip toe down to the kitchen for more food.

The shock came when she opened her bedroom door. It was a madhouse downstairs, and Audrey was both frightened and uncomfortable. She stood at the top of the stairwell, trying to search for her sister, but she was unable to find her. Slowly, she walked down the stairs and began to push through the crowd.

Audrey kept her eyes out for Nymphadora. As she attempted to look between a few people, someone who was dancing accidentally knocked her to the ground. Audrey cried out, and a few of the people looked down.

"Oh," the teenage boy said. "Sorry kid." Audrey looked up at him. She had never seen the boy before, and the least he could have done would be to help her up. In frustration, she decided to just go back to her bedroom, but as she was headed back, she found her sister.

"Dora!" Audrey yelled. Tonks didn't turn around. She was totally into the blasting rock music and was dancing with Charlie Weasley.

"Dora!" Audrey yelled louder. Tonks looked around for the source of the sound and finally turned and looked down to see her sister.

"Go to bed Audrey!" she yelled back. Her tone was strange, something that her sister hadn't heard before. All the words seemed to slide together.

"I want food!" Audrey yelled back, but Tonks didn't seem to be listening. She was dancing with Charlie again and chanting the words to the song out loud.

"Dora!" Audrey screamed. "I'm really hungry! Stop ignoring me!"

"Stop being a brat!" Tonks shouted back between the lyrics. Something was certainly up with her. Little did her eight-year-old sister know that she was very wasted and totally unlike her usual self as a result.

Audrey was shocked, but even more so, she was upset. Tears began to fill in her eyes, and she darted back through the crowd and toward the front door.

It was a common ritual for Audrey to go outside when she was upset. She ran through the small field to the forest behind her, not stopping until the house was out of view. She sat down by a tree and sniffled, peeking out into the dark distance.

She sat there for several minutes. The trees were silent and peaceful, until Audrey heard a rustling noise from behind.

The young girl stood up immediately and turned around. She couldn't see anything but trees. Taking a few steps back, she continued to look and listen for any sort of movement. She heard something again, footsteps and then a small growl.

She gasped and turned to the source of the sound. An animal was within the trees, staring at her with its teeth clenched. Audrey screamed and ran as fast as she could, but she was not quick enough. The young girl was tackled to the ground and severely scratched in the face. As she screamed in pain and horror, she was then bitten on the side of her neck.

Within moments of being bitten, Audrey's screams came to a stop. Halted breathing sounds began to escape from her throat. Within seconds, everything went black, and Audrey was motionless.


End file.
